渔夫和他的妻子英语故事(4)

　　"Oh, yes" said the man. "This is quite enough. We can live in this beautiful palace and be satisfied."

　　"We'll think about it," said the woman. "Let's sleep on it." And with that they went to bed.

　　The next morning the woman woke up first. It was just daylight, and from her bed she could see the magnificent landscape before her. Her husband was just starting to stir when she poked him in the side with her elbow and said, "Husband, get up and look out the window. Look, couldn't we be king over all this land?"

　　"Oh, wife," said the man, "why would we want to be king? I don't want to be king."

　　"Well," said the woman, "even if you don't want to be king, I want to be king."

　　"Oh, wife," said the man, "why do you want to be king? I don't want to tell him that."

　　"Why not?" said the woman, "Go there immediately. I must be king."

　　So the man, saddened because his wife wanted to be king, went back.

　　"This is not right, not right at all," thought the man. He did not want to go, but he went anyway.

　　When he arrived at the sea it was dark gray, and the water heaved up from below and had a foul smell. He stood there and said:

　　Mandje！ Mandje！ Timpe Te！ Flounder, flounder, in the sea！ My wife, my wife Ilsebill, Wants not, wants not, what I will

　　"What does she want then," said the flounder.

　　"Oh," said the man, "she wants to be king."

　　"Go home. She is already king," said the flounder.

　　Then the man went home, and when he arrived there, the palace had become much larger, with a tall tower and magnificent decorations. Sentries stood outside the door, and there were so many soldiers, and drums, and trumpets. When he went inside everything was of pure marble and gold with velvet covers and large golden tassels. Then the doors to the great hall opened up, and there was the entire court. His wife was sitting on a high throne of gold and diamonds. She was wearing a large golden crown, and in her hand was a scepter of pure gold and precious stones. On either side of her there stood a line of maids-in-waiting, each one a head shorter than the other.